Christian Resource Centre

When Heaven is silent

"Matt 15:21-28 21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."

23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. NKJV"

What do you do when the Lord refuses to answer your prayer?

Read the above story carefully. On first inspection it seems our Lord Jesus Christ had no desire to answer the desperate cry of the Canaan women. He answered her not a word (verse 23).

Have you ever been in that situation before? Or maybe you are going through it now. Or perhaps you know someone else who is going through it. Pay special attention to this teaching because it will do your faith a lot of good.

Let's get the facts clear. When Jesus' disciples came requesting Him to get rid of what they must have considered a nuisance, the response they got would have startled even them. Jesus said he was not sent to her (verse 24). If this woman needed any more confirmation that she was not worthy of Christ's attention she had got it.

Some would have left the Lord in annoyance at this point. What more could she do?

She came and worshipped Him (verse 25)? This woman still came right into His presence. Maybe she had not heard what Jesus had just said to His disciples regarding her. What Jesus then said she definitely heard (verse 26)? Not only were our Lord's remarks insulting but also downgrading. However, her reply was even more astounding. She was happy to be considered a dog at the Lord's table. Nothing that Jesus had to offer was too small for her.

The clue to this strange behavior of our Lord can be found in His reply to her in verse 28. He commended her faith. What had faith got to do with this?

Everything.

Every accepted prayer is not immediately an answered prayer. When heaven seems silent mercy never is.

None of us deserve anything from the Lord. The woman knew. She also knew the mercy of our Lord (verse 27). She was calling on His mercy with her faith.

When Jesus heard the cry of the woman he was pleased with her for He saw her heart and faith. He strengthened her with strength in her soul so that she might pursue her request (Psalm 138:3).

Here she was wrestling with God like Jacob had (Genesis 32:24). She was going through a test of faith (Genesis 22:1). She was being used of the Lord to show you and me that no one is 'too bad' to receive the mercy of God. You might have a distance to travel before you can touch Him but it's worth hanging on and seeking His face.

Faith in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the key to making a silent heaven speak into your situation. When the Lord speaks heaven and hell obey.

Although the Lord does not reject weak faith if it is true, He not only answers great faith but also commends it.